Aston Villa have sacked head coach Steven Gerrard after a 3-0 defeat away to Fulham. He is now one of the Villa Park outfit’s shortest-serving managers of all time at just 40 games.
The Birmingham natives confirmed that Gerrard had left his position on Thursday night just hours after losing at Craven Cottage. The result was the claret-and-blue club’s seventh loss in 11 Premier League games this season. Aston Villa had only won twice and drew in three.
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Gerrard now leaves Aston Villa with the club only above the relegation zone through goals scored. The Villans had found the net seven times to 16 goals conceded in their 11 games. It is just enough to edge West Midlands rivals Wolves, who have scored five to 14 allowed.
Aston Villa sacked head coach Steven Gerrard after their 19th defeat in 40 games
Aston Villa announced that Gerrard had been sacked in a 41-word statement thanking the former England midfielder for his commitment. The Villans now formally start their search for a new head coach, with The Telegraph already citing Mauricio Pochettino as an option.
Gerrard only took over the Villa Park helm from Dean Smith in November 2021. He arrived from Scottish Premiership team Rangers after agreeing to a three-and-a-half-year contract. The Birmingham side were just 16th in the Premier League table after five-straight defeats.
Yet less than a year on, Aston Villa have sacked Gerrard after 40 games in charge across all competitions. He oversaw 13 wins, eight draws and 19 defeats with 49 goals scored to 52 conceded. Gerrard claimed 12 of his wins in charge and 18 defeats over 38 league fixtures.
Now, Gerrard leaves Villa Park with the 42-year-old one of Aston Villa’s shortest-serving managers of all time. So, with that in mind, who did the Liverpool icon outlive in charge?
1. Roberto Di Matteo is Aston Villa’s shortest-serving manager at just 12 games
Roberto Di Matteo is Aston Villa’s shortest-serving manager of all time by the number of games he oversaw. The Italian stood at the Villa Park helm for 12 matches between June 2016 and October 2016. Over that time, he was only able to orchestrate one solitary win.
Dr Tony Xia hired the Champions League-winning manager with Chelsea after taking over Aston Villa. Yet his tenure ended after only 124 days following 11 Championship matches with the club 19th in the table. The 52-year-old has not held a managerial role since Villa.
2. Roberto Di Matteo replaced Remi Garde and as Aston Villa’s shortest-serving boss
Di Matteo replaced Remi Garde as Aston Villa’s head coach and would, ultimately, replace the Frenchman as the club’s shortest-serving manager. Garde had overseen just 23 games during the 56-year-old’s time in charge at Villa Park from November 2015 to March 2016.
Aston Villa claimed just three wins to 13 defeats and seven draws across all competitions under the former Arsenal midfielder. Garde would return to management at CF Montreal in November 2017. But he has not been in work since losing his position in August 2019.
3. Tim Sherwood’s tenure started a managerial merry-go-round at Villa Park
Tim Sherwood started a managerial merry-go-round at Villa Park when he became Aston Villa’s manager in February 2015. The former Tottenham Hotspur boss would only remain at the helm until October 2015. Garde and Di Matteo then followed in the next 12 months.
Aston Villa played 28 times under Sherwood, matching his 28 matches with Spurs including two as their caretaker head coach. The 53-year-old – who won 10, drew two and lost 16 of his fixtures with the Villans – has not returned as a head coach since leaving Birmingham.
4. Gerard Houllier was Aston Villa’s shortest-serving manager for five years
Gerard Houllier had the unwanted honour of being Aston Villa’s shortest-serving manager for five years. The Frenchman stood at the helm for 36 fixtures between September 2010 and June 2011. However, his departure was not due to their performances on the pitch.
He stepped down after only nine months in charge due to heart problems, as cited by BBC Sport. Houllier had already missed the end of the term before doctors advised the French Football Federation’s former director of football that he needed further time to recover.
Houllier later joined the Red Bull franchise of clubs as its global sports director from 2012 until his passing in 2020. The FA Cup-winning manager with Liverpool died at the age of 73.
5. Steven Gerrard is among Aston Villa’s shortest-serving coaches after his sacking
Gerrard is now among Aston Villa’s shortest-serving managers after his sacking following a year in charge for 40 games. He leaves Villa Park with a win rate of just 32.5% – worse than Houllier (38.9%) and Sherwood (35.7%). Smith’s win rate was 41% after 55 in 134 matches.
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